Alternia's New Order
by RoseInSnow16
Summary: Alternian society has been reestablished under The New Order, a new democracy. However, this is not good news for some. All mutant and disabled trolls are now to be used as slave labor. Times become hard for Karkat, especially when the one he loves is put in danger. With the help of an old friend, will Karkat be able to save his girl? A karezi story. Rated T for Karkat's mouth.
1. Chapter 1

Alternia's New Order

Chapter One

You have to admit, Alternia has always had kind of a fucked up culture. So when the Empress was overthrown in favor of an actual system of government, it was a welcomed change by pretty much the entire planet. Things were looking up now, especially for a mutant like you. Without the Empress' policy of culling any troll with a mutation or disability on the spot, you could have a shot at a somewhat normal and happy life. Your dream of being a Threshecutioner might actually be fulfilled.

It's basically all you've ever wanted to be. Finally getting a little fucking respect, getting to be a good leader to people who would actually listen. You are obviously a born leader. And who knows? Maybe you could even help to establishing a new cultural order, more like what the humans talked about. No more of this messed up quadrant nonsense, that's for sure. Although you do enjoy a classic troll romance, you've decided it is not really for you. And that's okay. You have already been planning on making a traditional human proposal to your matesprit for some time now. Honestly, it's about time. The ring has been in your pocket for weeks, but you've never dared pull it out. Better get on with it soon. You are both already ten sweeps old, and you've been dating for over three. She was all for a little change around here, too. You were both hoping the ideas of Alternia's "New Order", as it was being called, would be favorable to you and all your friends.

Most of your friends seem to like the idea as well, except for Eridan, but you couldn't give less than a fuck about what he though. He and Equius have both always been so true to the planets culture, especially when it comes to the order of the Hemospectrum. Horse-boy came around pretty quick when Nepeta kept going on about how excited she was for the New Order. However, that fish-faced douche wasn't ever going to change his mind. But who cared? Not you, obviously.

Right now you were just on edge waiting for the "Grand Council" to announce their new policies and regulations. Your party of twelve was planning to watch the announcement together, so that is what you were currently getting ready for. Everyone agreed to meet at your hive an hour from now, just before the Council's broadcast. There was a plethora of cushions and blankets set up around your viewport for seating, and you had spent all day cleaning.

Now you've finally got a chance to relax. You go to have a seat when there is a knock at your front door. Oh great, you think, a damn early bird. If it's Ampora, you just might...oh wait. You look out the window and see Terezi standing on your front pouch. You give a sigh of relief, thankful it was her of all trolls, and open the door with a small smile.

"Hey dumbass. I thought you knew how to tell time" you greet her. She only cackles, flashing her usual grin and stepping inside. You give her a quick kiss when she comes in, then turning to close the door again. You start walking back to your seat, and she is already there.

"Oh, don't act like you're not happy I'm early, Karkles" she say as you sit next to her. You put an arm around her and roll your eyes.

"I didn't say I wasn't happy." She smiles at you, and even after all this time it is enough to make your blood-pusher beat madly. Terezi isn't just your matesprit, she is your everything. And as your other hand absentmindedly played with the ring in your pocket, you wanted to be with her all that much more.

Forty-five minutes of pointless conversation, cuddles, and a few stolen kisses go by far to fast for your liking. That's when the others start to show up. Damn good natured, punctual friends. You sigh when you hear the first of them knocking at your door. Terezi moves from her rather comfortable position snuggled in your lap and allows you to get up. Reluctantly you go to the door and open it. Gamzee is standing there with his dumb clown face and his arms full of Faygo. "Hey best friend," he grins, "I brought enough for everyone." "Gamzee-" you start to say, but then decide it isn't even worth the effort. Fuck it. This was gonna be a good day. You would make sure of that. "Come on in" you tell him instead, and he happily obliges.

After that, the others show up in small intervals. Next were Sollux, Aradia, and Kanaya. All of them were pretty excited, and Kanaya even brought cupcakes. Then came Nepeta riding piggyback on Equius. Feferi was right behind them. Tavros and Vriska were exactly on time, and Vriska kept making jokes about how it was "just their luck". You and the others just groaned.

Now you were all stuck waiting for Eridan, as you should have guessed. Oh well. The Council wouldn't wait on him, and you sure as hell wouldn't either. With only five minutes until the broadcast, you all start to settle in. You grab two of Kanaya's cupcakes and go sit next to Terezi on a large grey cushion. She takes one cupcake and smiles, licking off the bright pink frosting. You smile as she leans against you. As you reach for the remote, there is a bang at your door. You sigh, annoyed and not wanting to leave your current position.

Luckily, Feferi quickly pops up claiming "I'll get it!" And you let her. She opens to door and Eridan steps past her, right into the hive. "About time you showed up asshole" Sollux says from the couch. "Wwell excuse me for tryin' to look presentable. I had to dry my cape" Eridan retorted, swishing the damn thing like a stupid wriggler playing dress up. Everyone laughs as the fish prince takes a seat next to his glubbing fish princess on the floor. "Oh fuck you guys. Evveryone is just jealous of my style."

You roll your eyes as Terezi giggles again, and then quickly flip on your viewport. "Hey," you call over all the others, "everyone shut the fuck up. It's starting." Everyone goes quiet as the members of the Grand Council appear on the screen. You hear Terezi take a deep breath as she grips your hand gently, and you all wait for the New Order that will dictate your fates.


	2. Chapter 2

Fair warning friends, this chapter turned out really long. I hope you enjoy it.

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><p>Chapter Two<p>

The once hectic room has now shifted to a comfortable silence. The anticipation among all twelve trolls made the air seem heavier as the Grand Council walked onto the screen. All ten council members stood along a rectangular grey slab of a table, the head speaker taking his place on the far left end. He announced that the new policies would be given in the same order of the Empress' old laws. At that, all the other members were seated. The Speaker pulled a scroll out of his long sleeve and you gulped. Here we go.

The laws of the Empress had started with the establishment of her monarchy. Under the New Order, it would mean what was now called a "Democracy". That is probably the dumbest name for anything you have ever heard, but hey, anything was better than living under that condescending bitch. You almost started to feel bored after a few minutes. The discussion was full of droll political terms and was dragging into territory irrelevant to anyone who isn't excruciatingly retarded.

After about half an hour, the moment you've been nervously biting at your lip over has come. "Policies on dealing with the mutant and disabled" announces the Speaker. Oh Gog. You immediately sit up straighter at this, Terezi shifting in your arms with the same anticipation.

After reading through the old policies of the Empress, the Speaker clears his throat and goes on. "Under the New Order, these trolls are no longer to be culled for their disabilities and/or mutations". And a small smile begins to creep across your face. There is a cheer and some applause throughout the room. You see Tavros high-five Vriska, only checking to make sure she hadn't broken any of his fingers after she turned away. It was over. You feel almost free. You'd probably be crying for joy right now if you weren't too much of a badass leader for that shit. Terezi lifts her head and kisses your cheek, her smile just as wide as yours. She has come to the same conclusion. A happy life was finally a possibility for you. A career, a future, maybe a-

"The lives of these individuals will not be wasted, but instead put to better use." Your thoughts are cut short as the Speaker goes on. Everyone seems a bit confused as their attention is snapped back to the screen. What was he babbling about? There was no need for more on this matter. Your life would be perfect now, end of fucking story. What else could there be?

"Trolls of the mutant and disabled class shall be sold into the service of those in need of their labor. This new policy, "Slavery", shall begin immediately." The smiles on all twelve trolls faces slowly fade as this announcement comes through the viewport.

Slavery? Okay. Maybe now is when you should start crying. But for some reason, you can't. You are in too much shock to do anything. Everyone has gone dead silent, obviously having the same reaction. There is more talk from the Speaker about the stipulations of this new policy, but it seems no one is paying any attention.

The New Order that was so important to you all before has no more meaning. Staring at the screen with glassy yellow eyes, you only catch the Speakers last statement. "All trolls of this status must report to the Central Empire and turn themselves in by the end of the week. If not, they will be hunted down and culled by emergency drones." Sollux is the one who decides enough is enough. He quickly stands and flips off the viewport, and no one stops him. No one says a word. It feels like hours are passing, days, in only a few seconds.

You are still too stunned to speak, but everyone is looking at you. You want to tell them all off. To ask what in the everlasting fuck they wanted from you. To yell and curse and tell them all what idiotic nookwiffers they are acting like. You open your protein chute, expecting the rant to flow out naturally as it always does. You are surprised when only a faint choking sound emerges. It's almost like your vocal cords are frozen. Sollux begins walking towards you, and it is at this moment you realize you aren't the one being starred at.

Terezi is still sitting right beside you, and she is more of a mess than anyone else in the room. Her knees are pulled to her chest, her mouth covered with one hand, and her cheeks stained with teal tears. Fuck. How had you not noticed her like that? You really are an oblivious asshole sometimes, and you'll admit it. Sollux is already kneeling beside her, trying to shoosh her and paping her hand gently.

Glancing around, you notice she is not the only one in distress. Pretty much everyone is in tears. You see Gamzee leaning on the back of Tavros' wheelchair, sobbing. Nepeta is cradled in Equius' arms as he shoosh paps his moirail. Aradia and Feferi come over to help Sollux try to console Terezi. The others are just scattered about in the madness. This is the kind of situation that requires leadership. However, no one here is really qualified to take that position. You suppose you'll have to do.

You stand up slowly and this time they ARE looking at you. "Well," you start, your voice shaking a bit, "that was not what we expected." You give a deep sigh as they continue listening. "Everything will be fine you guys. I mean...this is still better than being fucking culled on the spot. Look on the bright side." Nobody seems too happy with that statement. Honestly you really aren't either. Past you is always such an idiot.

"Okay, fine. This really fucking sucks, I know that. Now Terezi, Tavros, Vriska, and I will have to go." Vriska scoffs and you all look to her. She is holding Eridan and blinking rapidly to hide her previous tears. "There is no way in hell I'm letting them sell me into slavery, bad arm or not" she says. "Uhh, but Vriska," Tavros interrupts, "if they find you, you'll be killed! And I, uhh, don't really want that."

You almost think Vriska is blushing as she shakes her head. "I don't care," she tells him, "I'll risk it." She turns to you and all you can do is give a small nod. You understand where she's coming from. What catches you off guard is Tavros' next statement.

"Well, uhh, so will I." Everyone looks to the long horned troll in utter shock. He glances over everyone, an unusually stern expression on his face. "What? I don't want to die doing hard labor. I'm, uhh, pretty useless as I am. But I can try to stay alive a while longer. I would, umm, rather go down fighting" Tavros states. Vriska comes over and takes Tavros' hands. She sighs, a small evil smirk on her face.

"If we do this, I won't go easy on you ya know. You could get left behind. We could very well be caught within an hour of the drone release." Tavros smiles at her before responding, "Then I, uhh, guess we had better start now?"

You can't believe what is happening right now. "Are you two fucking serious?" you ask. "That's crazy!" "We don't care" says Vriska. I sigh and turn back to Terezi. "What do you think?" I ask her.

Terezi wipes her face quickly and thinks for a minute. You can always tell when she's in deep thought by the way she twirls her hair. "Well," she says after a few seconds, "I could always try living on my own and hiding my disability, but that probably wouldn't hold up too long. And I know I'm strong enough for any hard labor they could throw at me."

"Oh come oooooooon Terezi! You should just come with us. On the run. Scourge Sisters for life! It'll be just like old times" Vriska tries to convince her. You are about to interject when Terezi speaks up again. "No Vriska. I can't do that. We are still Scourge Sisters, but I'm not the same troll I used to be. I'm sorry."

You are a little surprised by your matesprits response, but also kind of relieved. You certainly didn't want to go on the run. That is what you have had to do your whole life, and it was getting old. At least this way you could still be with Terezi.

"Karkat?" Her voice catches your attention again, and you look at the teal-blooded girl. You mentally slap yourself for thinking of how beautiful she looked when she was scared. "Y-yeah" you say. "You'll come with me, won't you?"

Everyone looks to you, and you nod to Terezi. She stands up and wraps you in a tight hug. She is trying not to tear up again as you return her embrace and address the others.

"There. It's all fucking decided. Terezi and I will leave for the Central Empire in the morning. Vriska and Tavros will go on the run. Everyone else...will be fine." All the others look at you with a mutual understanding. You break your hug with Terezi and look at them. Your friends. The ones you have spent so much time yelling at and complaining over. The trolls who put up with all the shit you dole out.

"I...I'll miss you fuckers" you finally admit. "Group hug!" Feferi suddenly cries out, and you can't help but comply. You really would miss everyone. After the hug, everyone insists on leaving so you have time to prepare for your trip.

Terezi says she will go to her hive and gather her things. She will come later and stay overnight with you. As she leaves, you guess some goodbyes are in order.

Feferi nearly knocks you over with her goodbye hug before Eridan shakes your hand and takes her away. Tavros and Vriska don't say much. Only a mutual, "It's been fun" and an ever so rare, genuine smile. Equius shakes your hand as well, Nepeta shaking next to him. You give her a quick kiss on the cheek, and tell her she has been a good friend. Equius carries her away when she starts to cry again. Sollux assures you he is not crying as he hugs you, Aradia patting your back and wishing you good luck. You didn't think Kanaya would ever let you go, but she eventually left. Then it was just you and Gamzee.

The juggalo gave you a sad smile. "Well Karbro...it's been real. If you ever need anything motherfucker..." he offers a hand out to you to shake yours, "just give me a call." You've been strong for way too long at this point. Pushing his hand aside, you hug your bro tightly, crying against his shoulder. Gamzee seems a bit taken aback, but returns the hug. He paps your head and shooshes you softly. After a couple minutes, you separate and he leaves.

You dry your eyes just as Terezi returns with a red backpack full of her belongings. The two of you go up to your room to settle in 'til the next day. You arrange to share the human 'bed' device you had alchemised a while back. It is much more comfortable than sharing a recooprecoon.

Terezi comes out of the bathroom after changing into her pajamas, you already in yours. She sits next to you on the bed and sighs. "Are you sure about this Karkat?" she asks after a moment. "No," you answer honestly, "but I don't see another fucking option here." She nods. You sigh and face her, both of you sitting criss-cross. You reach out and take both of her hands in yours.

"And this way," you go on, "I will be with you." You bring her right hand up and kiss it gingerly. She smiles at you, a light teal blush dusting her cheeks. "I can get through anything then" she tells you.

A sudden thought pops into your head. It is probably a very stupid and shitty idea, but you decide to do it anyway. You gulp and look into your matesprits beautiful, blind eyes. "'Rezi... this is not going to be the life I- we had really fucking hoped it would be. But just having each other, I think, makes it worth living."

She stares back at you and nods. You take a deep breath. Here goes everything. " A-And I want you to be with me. Always and forever." You pull the ring box out of its hiding place under your pillow and open it to her.

Terezi withdraws her hands and covers her mouth with both of them as she gasps. You'd better do this properly, so you slide off the bed and kneel down in front of her. "Terezi Pyrope," you say, "will you marry me?"


	3. Chapter 3

Super cheesy romance ahead! Ding ding.

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><p>You wake up the next day to the obnoxious sound of your alarm. Your fist cracks down on top of the gog forsaken device beside your bed, effectively shutting it up. It was early, but you needed a head start on this trip. There was a long road ahead.<p>

You roll over and turn to Terezi, who is still laying next to you in blissful sleep. It was really hard to wake her up for anything. For a moment, you can't help but just look at her. She was so beautiful, the most beautiful troll you'd ever seen. She lay there on her back, her hands laying on her stomach. You could see the gentle rise and fall of her body as she breathes, softly blowing the short black strands of hair hanging in her face. It seemed cruel to wake her, but you knew it was for the best. You pause for one last moment, taking a glance at the silver ring on her left hand, it's set red jewel shimmering. A smile pulls at your lips.

Sitting up, you grip Terezi's shoulder and shake her awake. "No fucking around, Tez. Time to get up." Her bright red eyes open slowly and she yawns, stretching her arms above her head. "G'morning to you too, Nubby" she giggles. You sigh and poke her nose affectionately, causing her to smile and you to blush.

"Yeah, yeah. Good fucking morning troll sleeping beauty. We've gotta get moving. It's a big day" you say as she sits up. She nods to you, and you both get out of bed and start getting ready. Because you are a fucking gentletroll, you let Terezi use the bathroom first. She showers and puts on her regular clothes while you pack two bags, one with food and one with your personal belongings. Terezi already had her things packed from her hive.

Once she comes out, you take your turn going through the same process. You try to be quick about it, but you keep getting distracted by thoughts of what is to come. You really have no idea what to expect.

After snapping out of your wandering think-pans fantasies, you finish washing and get dressed. Walking back into your room, you see your matesprit sitting on the bed and swinging her feet. You chuckle, and she turns to you. Gog, she was too cute.

"So, you ready for this?" she asks you. "As I'll ever be" you reply, slinging one bag onto your back. In truth, you are kind of scared shitless by this whole thing. But there is no way you would tell her that. You are going to stay strong.

Terezi puts on her red backpack and comes over to you. You smile a bit, picking up the last bag and kissing her. Then the two of you are off for the Central Empire. Since you really have no transportation around Alternia, the trip had to be made on foot. It would be an all day trip.

Of course, you did have a week to get there, but you two had decided to get this fucking show on the road and not waste time. You keep walking for about five hours. At that time you two stop to eat. You're nearly halfway there.

The journey is pretty uneventful. It only manages to make you more and more anxious as you draw closer to your destination. Terezi is unusually quiet, probably having similar thoughts. As the day comes to an end, you can see the Central Empire in the distance. On top of the final hill in your path, the two of you stand together.

You can see the faint sunlight in the distance, illuminating the large city ahead. Terezi sighs and you turn to her. "You okay, 'Rezi?" She doesn't seem like herself. She's not nearly as cheerful and carefree. It's starting to scare you more than the thought of slavery. All you want is for Terezi to be happy.

You reach out and take her hand in yours. She squeezes your hand softly and nods. "I'm fine, Kar. You know me" she tries to assure you. However, you are not buying it. You shoot her a skeptical look, raising one eyebrow.

"Oh, come on Terezi. I know you better than that. Don't try fucking hiding it." She chuckles slightly. "Don't worry about it," the girl tells you, "I'm guessing it's normal to be a little nervous when something like this happens." So you were right. This crazy, seemingly fearless dragon is scared.

After a long silence, you look out over the empire again. How was it that impending doom actually looked so pretty. "It's okay" Terezi says, making you turn back to her. "What is?"

"This," she answers you, "this place. This situation. The way I know we're both feeling about it. It'll all turn out just fine. That's what I've gotta keep telling myself." You only stare at her, not sure of how to respond. She grins slightly and kisses your cheek.

"You know what I mean?"

"Yeah," you say, "I do." You glance back at the city ahead. "We will both be okay. I swear to you, Terezi. I'm going to fucking protect you, not matter what."

She smiles, gripping your hand a bit tighter and nodding. "That's my Karkles" she says. With that, you take another step. She follows and you begin your way into the Central Empire, never letting to of each others hands.


	4. Chapter 4

The Central Empire was pretty fucking impressive. You had no idea Alternia was capable of creating something like this. You're making your way to the new government hub, which is about a mile into the city. You have never seen so many trolls in one place. The paths were full of them. Everyone looked like they had somewhere important to be, and non paid much mind to what was going on around them. You keep a tight hold on Terezi's hand. The way she was curiously sniffing at everything made you think she'd run off and get lost in an instant if you let go.

The government hub was pretty easy to find. It was a huge structure, as tall as Terezi's tree, even. There were four stone columns around the front entrance. A large set of blue double doors marked your path to a new life. You gulp, stopping at the bottom of steps leading up to the doors.

You turn to Terezi, who is staring blankly at the steps. She blinks a few times and squeezes your hand, as if trying to reassure you that this is the right thing. You sigh and kiss her cheek quickly. You've got a bad feeling about all of this. Terezi turns to you, a small smirk on her face.

"Don't go getting all mushy on me, Karkles. This is gonna be a synch" she tells you. You roll your eyes, but can't help smiling a bit. "That's putting it lightly. This isn't a fucking game 'Rezi" you retort. She only chuckles, and you can feel heat rising in your cheeks. She was in the right mindset, just like you had agreed.

Terezi always knew how to get to you in the best of ways. You always shrug it off as just another lovable thing about her, but, in this case, it meant a lot more. "Sorry" you mumble after a short silence. She's cackling again, that infuriatingly adorable cackle that drives your thinkpan wild.

"Don't worry, Karkat. We are quite the team after all. We can take anything these imperial assholes throw at us." You laugh a little at her enthusiasm. It is, evidentially, contagious. "Of course" you say. With that, you make your way up the steps and into the building.

The doors opened into an enormous room. The ceilings were at least twenty feet high. A pure white marble floor stretched out in front of you. It is not as crowded as the streets, though there is still a good number of trolls mulling about. At the far end of the room you see a row of help windows. Turning to the left side of the room. There is a drone. Shit. It is standing there behind a small wooden podium near the wall. There are two doors, one on either side of it. Your bloodpusher stops cold when you read the words on the podium. "Slave Registration".

"This way" you tell Terezi, pulling her along with you. There is a short line to reach the drone. "Next" the mechanical voice orders. You gulp and step forward, releasing your matesprits hand.

"Name" the drone demands. "Karkat Vantas" you respond, trying to make the shaking in your voice less obvious. Suddenly, there is a sharp pain in your neck. You hiss slightly and notice the drone retract a small pricking device. That sneaky bastard. After a few seconds, it speaks again.

"Karkat Vantas. Male. Mutant blood." There is a short pause, as if it were still processing the new information. "To the right" the drone tells you. You nod slowly and walk to the door on your right. As you go, you glance back at Terezi. She is completely stone faced. The drone calls for the next troll, and you make your way down a long hall.

Eventually you come into another small room. There is another hall at the other end of the room, and what looks like a garbage shoot on the right wall. Another troll is in there, a male with bright green goggles and long pointed horns. He is sitting behind a table to the left of the door.

"Come in" he says, his voice stern and somewhat bored. You walk over to the table, which is staked with dull clothes. The troll glances up at you and gestures to the chute on the opposite wall. "All of your possessions go down there."

What the fuck? They were taking your things from you. How stupid. If you weren't so nervous, you probably would have retorted the order. Instead, you obey. You walk over to the chute, and drop in both of the bags you have been carrying. The troll looks over to you. "Weapons?"  
>You sigh and pull your sickle out of your strife specibus, dumping it as well. "Clothes too" he tells you. Well this just got even more humiliating. Why would they want all of your things? It's not like you had anything very valuable. Non the less, you do as you're told.<p>

You strip down and toss your clothes into the chute. The male picks up a stack of clothes from the table and tosses it at you. You quickly put them on. The shirt is a dull grey with long sleeves. It is a little big on you, but you were in no position to complain. The pants were slightly darker in shade.

After making a mark on some sort of sheet, the troll points towards the door. "Go on" he tells you. Silently, you obey. Another dark hallway later, you find yourself in an open courtyard. There is a tall fence around the land, one gate for entrance and exit. There are at least two hundred other trolls in rags. They are all standing in rows.

Other trolls, acting as guards, are scattered about. One stands at the doorway you've just come through. He grabs you by the arm as you come out, not speaking and not even looking at you. It was almost like he was one of the drones, emotionless and stuck in routine. He takes you a few steps to a device resembling a transportalizor. You are pushed onto the device, biting your lip to keep yourself from making any sort of smart remark. The device emits a sort of beam, scanning your body. It makes a small dinging noise and the guard nods. He takes your arm again and walks you to one of the lines, tossing you amongst the other male trolls.

You sit next to another troll, only glancing around at the others. The building you came out of is in view. There are two doors, including the one you came through. The other must have been where the left door at the entrance lead. A minute later, another troll emerges from that door. It is Terezi.

She is dressed in a long sleeved white blouse and a long grey skirt the rested just above the ground. She was barefoot, same as you, and her glasses were gone. You see a guard lead her to the same scanning device you had used. The beam scans her body. However, there is not a ding. Instead a loud beep is emitted. Your eyes widen. Oh shit. You have no idea what happened.

The guard comes up to her, grabbing her arm harshly and getting in her face. A low growl escapes from your throat at this sight. They are talking, but you are too far away to hear what they're saying. You see the guard take her hand and pull. What the hell was he doing to your matesprit?

Terezi puts her head down and is pushed into a different line. She sits and you can see her pretty clearly. She had an expression on her face that told you she was trying not to cry, and staring blankly down into her hands.

This was not going to be as much of a synch as you two had hoped for.


	5. Chapter 5

You were there for hours with nothing eventful to report. More trolls came in every now and then. They entered through the same two doors, males on one side and females on the other. As night fell, you start to grow tired. It had been a long day of traveling and fear. All you had done since arriving here is sit and wait, and you're still not even sure what the hell you are waiting for.

You sit with your chin resting in your hands, trying desperately to stay awake. Terezi is still in your sight. Currently, she was occupied with the two strands of her short black hair she had been braiding. She was anxious, you all were. The atmosphere of this place was just so damn depressing.

After what feels like hours, something starts to happen. The gate in the far end of the fence opens, and in comes a large four-wheeled travel machine. You'd just refer to it as a big ass truck. The gate closes behind the vehicle as it enters. You gulp. It was about to go down, you could tell, even if you weren't exactly sure what IT was.

The doors of the vehicle open and two trolls step out. They are not like anyone else here. Both look of a pretty high class, dressed in colorful and well kept clothing. The two make there way over to a guard who has been keeping post in the center of the lot. You assume he is the one in charge. For some reason, their discussion makes you nervous. Even if you can't hear what they're talking about, you have a feeling it won't be good for you.

After a couple minutes, the two trolls go back to their truck and open a large door in the back of it. It must be for some sort of cargo transporter, you guess. The troll you thought was head guard calls over a few more soldiers. After giving them orders, they disperse through the rows of us and start looking around. One at a time, they pull a few trolls out of the crowd. You have no idea why, not at the moment.

You don't particularly care either, that is until a guard starts walking towards you. He stops, scanning over everyone, until his eyes land on you. Your throat feels dry, your palms sweaty. The guard tells you to stand up, and you obey. Oh fuck. Oh god. He is looking you over, sizing you up. After what feels like forever, the guard takes a hold of your arm. Your immediate thought is to pull away, but that would be a stupid thing to do at this point.

He walks you over to the vehicle where about ten others have been placed. You turn around swiftly to look for Terezi. She is being looked over now, just as you were. Only, the guard is not so kind to her. He has her chin griped tight in one hand, and his grin right in front of her face. Was he trying to scare her or some shit? Whatever he was doing, it made you angry.

After a few seconds, he nods and throws her towards you and the other. She joins the crowd, and you let out a silent sigh of relief. A couple more trolls are added to the group before you are told to board the vehicle. You all stand in a single file line, and Terezi is right behind you. Everyone climbs into the back of the truck, sitting on either side. Terezi sits next to you, showing no emotion on her face. Once everyone is in, the door is closed and you can hear heavy locks securing it.

There is barely any light, and no one makes a sound. They are all scared, unsure of what is coming. You are scared and unsure as well. There is a kick as the vehicle starts to move. You have no idea where these fuckers are taking you, but the fact that Terezi is with you brings some comfort. You feel her hand reach for yours and intertwine your fingers with hers. You glance down at her left hand and see that her ring is gone. You'd figured as much. They were probably making money off all the shit they'd gotten from these trolls.

In place of the ring, there is a long scratch down her finger. She must have tried sneaking it past the guards, and that's what was pulled off of her when she came in. Why would she be so stupid? Terezi would never try something like that. She knew the consequences it could have, especially in a place like this. Hell, she knew more about justice than everyone you've ever known combined. Was it really that important to her?

You sigh lightly and grip her hand tighter. She sets her head on your shoulder and breaths in deep. You can tell she's dying for a little comfort. You let go of her hand in favor of wrapping your arms around her gently. She buries her head in your chest, and you nuzzle the top of her head. Glancing around, most of the other trolls have decided to rest. It's a smart idea at this point. It doesn't take too long for Terezi to fall asleep. Looking down at her, she seems so helpless curled up in your arms. Your press a kiss into the top of her head, and soon drift off.

You're not sure how long you sleep, only that you are rudely awakened by the cargo door slamming open. You sit up, reluctantly removing your arms from Terezi. Everyone is guided out and placed in two groups, males and females. After that, you are forced to walk.

Looking around, this isn't exactly what you expected. You were in some sort of countryside. There were fields all around, mostly cotton. There was also a huge hive towards the front of the land. The building was three stories tall and painted a soft blue. It was pretty nice, you though. A forest grew out on the other side of the land, near where you were being lead.

You were shown to an open patch of ground with a large puddle of water in the center and rags scattered about. The troll leading you said to strip down and bathe, or you would not be fed. This was ridiculously humiliating, but the thought of no food hurt your aching stomach worse. All the other males were hesitant as well, but you all obeyed. You would rather not think in detail about the experience.

After bathing and redressing, you are out back in line and lead to a shabby wooden structure. Apparently, it was to serve as your new sleeping quarters. This was such utter bullshit you had to force your eyes not to roll. Inside there was no form of recooprecoon or bed or sleeping device of any kind. There was a dirt floor, and...yep. That's it.

About fifty feet down the old dirt path outside was another shack where the female trolls were housed. You're given an hour to "settle in", which basically was trying to figure out how to fit so many trolls in one sleeping area while avoiding unwanted cuddling. After that you are given food and told to rest. Hard work starts in the morning.

The food, if it can be called that, is a handful of berries and dry bread. But at least it was something. You chock it down quickly and join the others in the sleeping quarters. There was no way you were sleeping tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

You were woken up and put right to work at dawn. Going on about three hours of sleep, you were not in any mood for this shit. But you sure as hell weren't gonna complain about it. Everyone was taken out to one of the huge cotton fields and given a woven basket. Each troll was then assigned one row and told to pick as much as possible. Field work was always the last thing you wanted your life to come to, but you didn't have much of a choice here.

At least not with your overseer hanging over your head constantly. You referred to this asshole as Mr. Moffat, the cause of all your emotional distress and pain. The guy seemed to have it out for you. After somehow finding out you were here on account of your mutant blood, he took to calling you "Red" rather than your actual name. Normally, you would beat the shit out of anyone who was so demeaning to you. However, the short whip and sharp dagger he kept in his belt made you think twice. You'd already seen him use the whip twice that first day. Once that morning on a troll who wouldn't wake up fast enough, and again on a female he claimed was not picking to her fullest ability.

After picking in the fields all day, the work whistle is blown. Mr. Moffat and a few others lined you all up, collected your baskets, and took you back to the sleeping quarters. You were all given your daily meal, and sat around the fire until the whistle went off again to tell you it was time to sleep. This routine went on each day. You woke up, worked, ate around the fire, and went to sleep. It all got pretty fucking depressing really quick. The only thing you looked forward to was seeing Terezi at the end of every day. She had continued to keep her promise about staying hopeful.

The two of you had been working on the Martin Plantation for almost three months now. It was another routine day of the same stupid shit you had grown so accustomed to. Hours pasted in the field. The sun rose high into the cloudless sky. It was so damn hot you almost felt like your skin would melt away. You pause for a moment to wipe the sweat from your forehead, and see Terezi a few rows down. Her basket holds more cotton than any of the others you see. You can tell she is totally focused on what she is doing. Occasionally she reels back from the plants, pricking her fingers in her quick pace of work. But she always went right back into it, not stopping for more than a second.

Apparently you were gawking over her a moment too long. Mr. Moffat had noticed, and was now standing right beside you. It makes you fucking nervous. He slaps your shoulder hard and starts to laugh. "She sure is a beauty, ain't she Red?" he asks you smugly, nodding his head towards Terezi. You know you probably have the dumbest fucking look on your face right now, but you don't know if you should even respond. You guess not, since he goes on talking after a moment. "Hell, she's outworking every troll here. Mighty strong for a little blind bitch."

You bite your tongue and suppress a growl when he refers to your matesprit that way. Who did this guy think he was? After another moment, he slaps your back hard and laughs again. "Come on, Red. Now I've got another job for you." Oh great.

You pick up your basket and follow Mr. Moffat out of the field. He tells you to stay at the fields edge, and takes your basket from you. Then, he proceeds to carry the basket over to Terezi, placing it next to the one she has already nearly filled. He tells her something, and she nods to him in response. This guy was definitely playing some sort of sick as fuck game now.

He comes back over and tells you to come along. You follow him for a long while, the whole time moving closer to the families main hive. There is a cleared area about 500 yards from the impressive structure. There is a stack of fallen tree limbs, an old looking box of tools, and a stump with an axe wedged in it.

"You're a pretty strong boy, Red. So I thought I'd give you something a little more meaningful to do" Moffat tells you, and you have no idea what he's getting at. "Mr. Martin wants a new shed. He told me to put my best male on the job, and that's you Red." Mr. Martin was the troll who actually owned all this land, aka Moffat's boss. He thought you were the best worker, really? You highly suspect this is just some sort of trick or mind game. What a sick bastard.

"Blueprint's in the tool box, and no slacking. Understand?" "Yes sir" you say. He grins with that smug little expression again. It makes you want to punch his face in. "At a boy Red" he says, patting your back. You nod once and move towards the box of tools to get the blueprint.

After a couple hours, you decide you would actually prefer field work. The sun beat down even harder through the afternoon. Just stripping these shitty limbs to get decent building material was a pain in the ass. The tools you were given are old as fuck, so that didn't help much either. You finish about three quarters of the pile when sunset comes and the work whistle blows.

You stop what you're doing, placing everything back just the way it was before, and start to walk back to the sleeping quarters. Your stomach is grumbling like a raging woof-beast, and you actually can't wait for some of that slop they call your food. Only getting one meal a day didn't seem right, but Mr. Moffat had assured you all you would get used to it. Like fuck you would.

When you arrive back at your quarters, the only one there is that devil. He is leaning against the side wall and smoking a tobacco cylinder, what the snobs call a cigar. "Where do you think you're goin, Red?" Mr. Moffat asks as you approach. You stop a few feet away from him, saying nothing. He is staring at you, a sly grin on his lips. You have no idea what he could be thinking, and it kind of scares you.

"I was just coming to get you" he says, slowly approaching you. You remain silent. "Hey now. I asked you a question boy. Where do you think you're going?" Mr. Moffat insists, getting in your face now. He is making you nervous being so close, but you can't find the right way to answer. You feel him touch your back, but not like before. His heavy handed pats were replaced with a hard shove. You gasp and make a small noise when hitting the ground face first, getting the wind knocked out of you. Before you have a chance to regain your breath, he stomps down hard on your back with his iron toed boot.

He leans down, his head next to yours. The still burning end of his cigar presses against your ear, and it's hot as hell. You let out a scream of pain. Between the burning cigar and the heavy foot crushing your back, it was all you could do not to cry like a fucking wiggler. Mr. Moffat pulled the cigar away and rasped harshly in your ear.

"Now you listen to me, boy. You are not to go anywhere without my say so. You don't leave your post, you don't stop working. I don't give a damn about the whistle goin off, or that meal bell ringing. You stay put until told otherwise. Don't think you're entitled to anything more. You've got nasty red in them veins of yours, and you should learn your place. Otherwise I'll be the one to out you in it."

The pressure on your back is lifted as Moffat removes his boot. You roll onto your back and take in a deep, gasping breath. Mr. Moffat is still standing over you. The superiority of his expression pisses you off beyond belief, but you still can't bring yourself to get up. You receive a swift kick to the side for good measure before Mr. Moffat walks away. He leaves you in the dirt, breathing heavily in pain.

It takes a couple minutes for you to catch your breath and get back to your feet. Soon after, the rest of the trolls come in from the field. You help build a fire, and say nothing about what happened to you. What was there to say anyway? Everyone here was going through hell. Terezi is one of the last to return. However, she is not her usual smiling self. You are cautious going up to her, as if you'd get in trouble. But nobody ever gave a fuck what you guys did after working hours.

"Hey" you greet her. She is staring down, her hands folded in front of her. There are scratches and bruises on her still bleeding hands. You had been right about how she was hurting herself during work. Terezi still hasn't said anything. You can't tell if she is just tired, or scared, or upset. God, you should be able to tell these things like a good matesprit.

She glanced up and took a sniff. "What happened to your ear?" She must have smelt the burn. "Don't worry about it" you insist. You reach out for her hands, but she pulls them to her chest. This is bullshit. She never pulled this stuff with you. She trusted you, and you would never hurt her. You quickly glance around. All of the others have started eating around the fire, and they weren't paying any mind to you. Careful not to hurt her, you grip Terezi's wrists and pull her to you, planting a quick kiss on her cheek. Her eyes widen a bit, and she manages a small smile.

Terezi raises her head so you can see her face. "Sorry" she says. You shrug. "Don't be. I understand. We've both been through a lot of shit today, right?" She nods. "And you've made a total fucking mess of your pretty little hands" you add, still keeping your careful hold on her wrists. Terezi chuckles. "Well not everyone is selected to get out of field work. Where did you go anyway? I got stuck filling your basket" she said.

"Moffat has me building a shed for Mr. Martin. Apparently I'm the best male worker he has to offer. Total bullshit, right?" Terezi frowns at your statement. "Something wrong?" you ask.

"Weeell, I hate to admit it, but you having to do that project might be my fault" Terezi admits. You have no idea what the hell she's talking about. "Terezi that can't be true. What are you even saying?" She pulls her hands from you, rubbing her arm.  
>"You see, Mr. Moffat was in the female quarters last week. I guess he is notorious for being a huge creep. The guy grabbed me while I was trying to sleep, said that I was 'too attractive' to be in slave labor. He offered to buy me my freedom if I would become his. Pinned me to the wall, said he would give me everything I ever wanted."<p>

You have no idea what to think at this point. Terezi was biting her lip the way she always does when trying not to cry. Dear god, what had he done to her. You grab her by the arm and pull her away from the others. The two of you stand on the other side of the sleeping quarters where you can't be seen. Terezi starts to cry, and all you can do is hold her while she goes on.

"I told him no, and he...he got so angry. He demanded an explanation, like there had to be a big reason for me to refuse. So I told him I had a matesprit. He kept insisting in my current situation I would never be found again, and that I should forget my matesprit and stop hoping."

"So you told him it was me" you say. Terezi nods. "I...I shouldn't have done that to you. I was just scared and didn't know what else to do" she says. You tighten your hold on her and shoosh her softly. "You did what you had to to get away. And I'm happy you didn't take his offer." "Why would I?" she asks. "Just...you could have gotten out of this hell hole and been living the high life" you say.

"So? I would never go off with that douche, no matter what he gave me. And I'd never leave you" she replies. Her crying has stopped, and she seems pretty serious. You nod at her, deciding not to press the matter any further, and kiss her forehead gently. "I'm glad," you say, "Gog, you're amazing." Terezi grins at you. "I know. You tell me all the time" she insists.

You take her arm and lead her over to the fire to eat. It's a little hard for her with her hands so cut up. You tear some of the cloth from your sleeve to wash and bandage up the cuts. It wasn't great, but it was definitely better than nothing. Soon, it's time for you to go to sleep. Terezi thanks you, and you two exchange your usual goodbyes for the day.

You lay in your usual spot, and know there is no way you are going to get any sleep. Terezi wasn't safe with the overseer around, and neither were you. You had to get out of this place somehow.


	7. Chapter 7

You have decided that sleep is outrageously overrated. It's not like you've slept much since coming here. Hell, you hardly slept at all when you were free. Now that you were stuck in this place, it was even harder. Your thinkpan is overflowing with thoughts. Everything was going terribly, and you had to do something about it. If not for yourself, you at least had to help Terezi. She wasn't herself anymore. Mr. Moffat has her scared and ashamed. It makes you extremely mad that he would try something so vile with your matesprit.

You needed to get out of this place. It doesn't seem too hard to outsmart these assholes and sneak away. The plantation was only five miles from the closest town. Wouldn't take to long if you got through the nearby woods and...of course! It was all so fucking obvious now. You were getting out of here.

When morning came, you still hadn't gotten any sleep. However, you also didn't have the ability to give a fuck about it. Everyone is lined up and taken to the field, as usual. Only, this time, Mr. Moffat separates you from the rest. You follow him back to the site of your shed building, saying nothing. The man can't help but babble on about some pointless shit you don't pay attention to. Why should you listen to him? To avoid getting the shit whipped out of you? Oh yeah. That's right. Upon reaching the site, Mr. Moffat turns to you with a smug expression. "Don't you think so, Red?" he asks. Oh fuck. Maybe you should have been listening. You gulp and just nod in response. You have no idea what he asked you. Luckily, you just agreeing seemed to be the right answer.

Mr. Moffat leaves you to work. Whoopee. You pick up where you left off, quickly stripping the rest of the wood. Looking over the blueprint, it appears relatively simple. By noon, you have already finished the base. Gog damn was it hot. Alternian summers were hot as hell, quite literally. You just had to get through this day, and it would all be over. tonight, you would tell Terezi about your escape plan and the two of you would get away. You're either really eager or really nervous, most likely a mixture of the two.

This day seems longer than any other day since you've been here. It's surprising. You didn't think it could get much worse for you before. Slaving away every day for some pompous ass was not your ideal occupation. These hours seem more like days. Sweat beads persistently along your forehead. You wonder about the others. What had they been up to since you left? Did the New Order do better things for them than for you? You really hope so.

After a small eternity, the work whistle blows. You start to pack up your work, and Mr. Moffat arrives for you just as you finish. "Hey, Red. Looks like someone is finally following orders around here" he laughs. You say nothing. Not one word about how much you hated him, about how you know what he's done and what he's trying to do, about how he won't be able to boss you around after tonight.

Back at the sleeping quarters, everyone else has already arrived. The fire was set, and food was being passed around. Terezi smelled your arrival and gave a small smile as she brought you your share of food. You smile back at her. Best to wait until everyone else was out of earshot before discussing your plan. For now, you sit around the fire as usual, your matesprit at your side.

When the final whistle signals bed time, you grab onto Terezi's arm. She turns to you, looking confused and caught off guard. Making sure no one else sees, you pull her behind the sleeping quarter. This was it.

"Karkat, what the hell are you doing?" she whispers harshly. "Getting us out of here. I have a plan" you reassure her. She cocks an eyebrow, still confused. "There's no way out. Are you crazy?"  
>"Maybe a little" you admit. It was pretty accurate to say so. If anything, you were at least crazy about her. "Just hear me out. If we get through that forest and follow the road into town, there is no fucking way they can ever find us again. It's not that far. I know we can do it."<p>

Terezi seems shocked by your plan. You grip her hands in yours, waiting for any response. She sighs, glancing all around. You can tell she's thinking it over as she bites at her bottom lip. "Come on, 'Rezi. Please say you'll come with me. I won't leave you here alone, but we have a chance. We should take it." After a few moments, she nods to you. "Okay. I trust you" she says. You kiss her forehead, and she lets out a shaky sigh. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go" she insists.

With that, you nod and keep a hold of her right hand in your left. Carefully, the two of you start towards the forest path. You move swiftly and quietly. The overseers were housed closer to the main hive, so they shouldn't be a problem.

About halfway into the forest, Terezi suddenly gasps and freezes. She looks scared. "Terezi, what's wrong?" you ask.  
>"Run" she almost whispers. "What?" "I smell them. They're coming" she says, "we have to go!" Oh fuck. She was right. The sound of trotting hoofbeasts grew closer. You grip her and tighter than before, and start running for your lives. But the beating hooves are growing closer. You sprint with all your might, heart racing and breath heavy. Oh fuck, oh god! How the hell did they know? You glance back, and there they are. You see them riding right on your tail. Your lungs are burning, and suddenly something pulls you to the ground.<p>

It was Terezi. She tripped, and was now face first in the dirt next to you. You quickly try to get back up, but it is too late. They have you surrounded. There are four overseers on hoofbeast back, including Mr. Moffat. You glance at Terezi. She is still on the ground, teal tears streaking her checks. You had failed her...yet again. You stand up slowly, ready to face the consequences. Ready to make it absolutely clear that this was all your idea, not hers.

Moffat jumps down from his hoofbeast and comes up to you. The next thing you knew, you had been knocked to the ground. Your head throbbed in pain as you struggled to see what was happening. Moffat had punched you in the side of your face. Terezi screamed and tried to run to help you. Mr. Moffat wouldn't have that. He grabbed her arms and through her back down. Then, with one kick to the back of your head, he knocked you out cold.

When you wake up, your head is still spinning. You have no idea where you are. It wasn't your usual quarters. You were in a room with stone walls and hay scattered around the floor. There was a cot built into the wall. No windows, only a door you were positive was bared and locked from the outside. You were alone.

Suddenly, the door opened. Sunlight flooded in, nearly blinding you. You were still sitting on the floor as the overseer stormed in and grabbed you, forcing you to stand. It was at this point you realized your hands were tied behind your back. This just kept getting better and fucking better. The guy said nothing. He only pulls you outside and down a plain dirt path. It was hard to tell exactly where you were. He pulled you into a clearing somewhere in the middle of the forest. You glance up and see the very top of the Martin hive peaking out above the trees.

There are a few trees in the clearing, along with some sort of water troff, a small fire, and four other trolls. Terezi, Mr. Moffat, and the other two overseers who helped catch you last night. Terezi is on the ground, her hands bound just as yours are. She is stone faced and trembling. You are thrown on the ground next to her. Moffat stands in front of you two, whip in hand. Only, this was not the same short whip he kept in his belt. It was much longer, wrapped in hard leather, and obviously well worn. You gulp.

"You two must think you're brave, running like that. Quite a shame you talk so loud. Did you really think I hadn't noticed you slip away? Idiot freaks. We are always watching." Moffat chuckles, a sly grin on his smug face. He grabs the front of your shirt and nods to one of the others. The other troll nods back and walks to the fire. Your bloodpusher jumps at the sight of a long iron rod being carefully pulled from the flames.

Moffat throws you back down and moves behind you, making sure you couldn't move. The other overseer walks to you. Without warning, he presses the hot metal into your skin, just below your right eyes. You cry out in pain. Your flesh is burning, and you can hear it sizzle even as he pulls away. Moffat releases you, and you fall face first into the dirt, trying to catch your breath.

Out of the corner of your watering eye, you see the overseer stick the iron back in the fire to reheat it. You hear Mr. Moffat. It sounds like he is right behind her, holding her still like he had you. "Now darling, this is your last chance. All of this could go away. Leave this mutant bastard behind. He's worthless, you know it. Be mine" Mr. Moffat speaks into Terezi's ear. Is he serious?! Hitting on your matesprit now of all times.

He speaks again. "What do you say, doll face?" You sit up just enough to see Terezi. There are tears in her eyes, and a hot iron looming in the hand of the overseer in front of her. Slowly, she shakes her head and chokes out a stern, " No. Never."  
>"Have it your way" Moffat says harshly. You turn away as the iron is presses into her soft grey skin. She cries, just as you had, and is pushed into the dirt.<p>

You try moving to her, but she is pulled away. Moffat forces her to stand and hands her off to the others. "I know this was your idea, you little bitch" he yells at her. What the hell? No. No! This wasn't right. "Tie her up" Moffat says to the others. They carry her over to one of the trees. Her hands are undone from behind her back and retied on either side of the tree so her forehead is pressed against the bark. Why isn't she denying his accusation? This was all your fault, not hers.

Moffat slowly walks over to her and undoes the back of her shirt, leaving the skin of her back exposed. "Admit to it" he commands. Terezi whimpers and nods. She was taking the blame for you. Moffat takes a few steps back, running the end of his whip through his fingers. Then, in one swift motion, he strikes her bare back. The crack of the whip is loud and heavy. Terezi had the wind knocked out of her, letting out a short scream. He strikes again, harder this time. And again.

You are frozen in fear and shock. No. This wasn't right. That should have been you, not her. She is crying out, teal blood leaking down her back. You can't bare the sight of it. Your teeth clench, and you force yourself to move. You lunge forward, landing on your knees just in front of Moffat as he was preparing for another hit. He stops when he sees you, glaring at you with eyes that could kill. There were red tears of frustration in your eyes, and you glared back at him.

"Stop! I-It was me" you yell. You glance at Terezi, and look back at Moffat. He looked royally pissed off, tossing his whip down. "Untie her" he ordered the others. They did so, and Terezi sunk down slowly, hugging the tree and gasping for breath. Moffat comes up and kicks you square in the face. You hit the ground with a thud, and barely hear his next statement.

"Take these two to the market. And make sure they are sold separately."


End file.
